Research To Practice Privacy PolicyResearch To Practice (RTP) websites (http://www.researchtopractice.com) are produced by RTP and referred to in this policy as the “RTP websites” and “the Site.” We want to be sure that visitors to the Site understand our practices and how we strive to protect any personal information collected by the Site. By using, accessing, or becoming a Registered User of the Site, or by clicking through an acknowledgment, you consent to RTP’s collection, use, processing, and disclosure of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy relates to all RTP websites accessible by users and describes the types of information we may collect from users, how we may use it, how users may alter the information they provide and what security measures are in place to prevent unauthorized access of user information. This Privacy Policy applies only to RTP websites. The researchtopractice.com website family includes various Internet locations, including but not limited to breastcancerupdate.com, colorectalcancerupdate.com, lungcancerupdate.com, etc. These program sites include content developed specifically for physicians and healthcare professionals. Types of Information CollectedInformation collected through the Site may include personally identifiable information (PII), which is information that identifies an individual personally, such as first and last name, postal address, email address or telephone number. For example, a free registration process is required for visitors to view detailed content and access the full range of services offered by the Site. This registration requires an email address, clinical specialty and demographic information. When users participate in a continuing medical education (CME) or continuing nursing education (CNE) activity (live or enduring) provided by RTP, they must provide their name, street address, telephone number(s), fax number, email address, degree and specialty. A National Provider Identifier (NPI number) might also be required for participation in a CME or CNE activity related to a federally mandated Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy for which participant tracking is required by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We may also ask you for your date of birth and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) number if you request Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits through our CME activities (see ABIM MOC). Note, only those registering for CME/CNE, subscription services or meeting attendance are asked to provide identifying information, such as name, contact information, etc. The registration screen clearly labels which information is required for registration and which information is optional and may be given at the user's discretion. The Site also automatically collects information about Site visitors that is not PII but relates to an individual’s use of the Site. Non-PII is aggregated information, demographic information and any other information that does not reveal specific identities. Non-PII is “passively” collected through browser navigation tools, such as cookies and pixel tags. These types of technology enable the Site to compile statistics about the daily number of Site visitors or specific page requests and do not identify individuals other than by IP address, which is the Internet Protocol address of the computer used to access the Site. RTP does not permit unaffiliated third parties to track information about users of the Site. More About CookiesA cookie is a small data file that a website transfers to a user's hard drive when the user visits the website. A cookie file can contain information such as a unique ID that the Site uses to track the pages visited, and it is a standard method of registering website user preferences. These preferences are stored in a file on the user’s computer hard drive. We also use “analytical cookies.” These allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors to the Site and to see how visitors move around the Site when they’re using it. This helps us improve the way our website works, for example, to ensure users find what they need easily. RTP websites use both persistent and session cookies. Persistent cookies are cookies that stay on a user’s computer until their expiration date or until they are manually deleted. Session cookies are deleted automatically when a user leaves a website to visit another one or shuts down the web browser. Users can set their browser to accept all cookies, to reject cookies or to notify them whenever a cookie is offered so that the user can decide each time whether to accept it. However, refusing a cookie may in some cases preclude use or negatively affect the display or function of the Site or certain areas or features of the Site. To learn more about cookies, including how to enable cookies, change browser settings and find and delete cookies from a hard drive, users may refer to web browser help menus or visit www.allaboutcookies.org. By using RTP websites you are deemed to unambiguously agree to RTP’s use of any cookies that you do not disable. Information from Outside SourcesIn order to verify the licensure status and identity of physicians or other healthcare professionals who register on RTP websites, RTP may also collect information from other sources about registered users. Use of InformationPIIRTP may use PII collected through the Site for any or all of the following purposes. Responses to Requests: We may use PII about a Site user to respond to that user’s requests, such as questions about CME/CNE programs, meeting registration and to provide the user with benefits offered by programs in which he or she has enrolled. Test Scoring: We use PII to score post-tests and/or to issue certificates of completion documenting participation in a CME/CNE activity. Communication with RTP Subscribers: If a Site user joins our mailing list (by agreeing to be contacted with special offers and informed of special events, etc), we will send that person information on such offers, events and other products, programs or services that we believe may be of interest. A user may opt out of receiving such communications, as described in those communications and in the section below on user management of PII. Internal Business Purposes: RTP uses PII about Site visitors for internal business purposes, including in particular to help us determine usage of CME/CNE programs, events and other offerings and to track the acceptance of program offers and help us improve our services. We also use PII for related internal purposes, such as data analysis, audits, enhancing the Site, identifying usage trends and other outcomes analysis. Other InformationRTP uses non-PII to help us improve the Site, such as by analyzing usage of certain pages or functions on the Site. We may also use non-PII for other purposes, but if any such use involved combining the non-PII with any data so that it became personally identifiable, we would then treat it as PII in accordance with this policy. Information SharingPIIRTP may share PII collected through the Site with certain third parties only in certain circumstances, including the following: Accrediting Organizations: RTP may report user participation to and share personal information, including name, address and NPI number, with organizations such as the Accreditation Council for CME (ACCME), American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC), the ABIM or organizations that are approved by the FDA to collect information on CME/CNE related to a mandated Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy. Educational Partners/Providers: On occasion, a third-party education provider or partner of a CME/CNE activity on the Site (provider/partner) will request a list of the people who participated in a particular CME/CNE activity that the provider/partner prepared or accredited, for the provider/partner’s record-keeping purposes only. In response to such a request, we will provide the provider/partner with the name, street address, email address, profession and specialty of each person who participated in that CME/CNE activity. Commercial Interest/Commercial Supporter: A “commercial interest” is defined by the ACCME as any entity producing, marketing, reselling or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by or used on patients. A commercial interest that provides support to an RTP CME/CNE activity is referred to as “the supporter.” We may disclose personal information to the supporter only when it is required by applicable laws. For example, if the supporter request personal information in order to comply with the federal “Sunshine Act,” RTP is obligated to provide relevant user PII. We do not share PII with or sell PII to any unaffiliated third parties or commercial supporters for their own marketing purposes or for any purpose outside what is outlined above.
Companies and People Who Work for RTP: RTP contracts with other companies and individuals to help us provide services. For example, we may host some of our RTP websites on another company's computers, hire technical consultants or work with other companies to remove repetitive information from customer lists, analyze data, provide marketing assistance and provide customer service. In addition, we may validate a user’s licensure status as a healthcare professional and other information using available databases that list licensed healthcare professionals. In order to provide these services other companies may have limited access to some of the personal information we maintain about our users. We require all such companies to comply with the terms of our privacy policies, to limit their access to any information to the minimum amount necessary to perform their obligations and not to use the information they may access for purposes other than fulfilling their responsibilities to us. ABIM MOC: A user may request their CME credit be transferred to the ABIM for MOC credit (select programs only). In order to transfer credits successfully, RTP is required to distribute PII to the ABIM through a portal located on the ACCME website. PII for the successful transfer of CME to MOC credits includes name, date of birth and ABIM number and relevant information related to the CME activity in which the learner has participated (activity name, credit hours, etc.). No additional PII is provided. Other InformationRTP aggregates non-PII data about users for program-use analysis, program development, activity planning and site improvement. We may also use it for market analysis and provide information from RTP websites in aggregate form, all completely without identification of users, to third parties. For example, we may tell a commercial supporter what percentage of our registered users reside in a particular geographical area or which user practice specialties are named by users. Legal RequirementsRTP may release registration information when we believe such release is required by law. If we discover that a third party inadvertently disclosed personal information about any of our users, we will take immediate action to prevent further occurrences. Other than in the cases described in this policy, RTP will not release PII to a third party without the user's consent. Also, if we request consent to release information to a third party, we will make our best efforts to clearly define and limit the scope of that consent. Other Legal NotificationsAcquirers or Assignees: In the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of RTP or its assets, we may transfer any and all information that we collect from Site users to the acquiring party or assignee. Entities Entitled Under Law: We may disclose PII to other entities as we believe to be appropriate in the following circumstances: (i) when required by applicable law, including laws outside a user’s country of residence; (ii) to comply with legal process; (iii) to respond to requests from public and government authorities; (iv) to enforce the terms and conditions for use of the Site, including this Privacy Policy; (v) to protect and defend RTP’s rights and property; (vi) to protect the interests and safety of RTP or others; and (vii) to permit RTP to pursue available remedies or limit damages that we may sustain. We have no obligation to notify Site users of such disclosures except as required by applicable law. Social NetworkingRTP may maintain a presence on third-party social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others. RTP does not control or have responsibility for the collection, tracking, use or disclosure of your information (including your PII) gathered through these social networking sites, including through the RTP pages or profiles within those sites, or otherwise because of your participation in social networking sites. Third-party social networking sites may have the ability to link the information they collect about you when you use the website with other information they collect about you elsewhere on the Internet, including your PII or information about the device you are using. Third-party social networking sites and advertisers on these sites are not obligated to follow or apply this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Use. User’s RightsYou have the right to request a copy of the personal data that RTP holds about you. To make this request as an individual or an authorized third party, contact RTP at the below-referenced contact information. Contact RTP: Updating or Correcting PIIUsers can review, correct, update or remove PII that they have provided to RTP by visiting the “my account” page on the Site. If that page cannot be located, users are asked to inform RTP by sending an email to info@researchtopractice.com. To protect user information, we will implement such requests only with respect to the PII associated with the particular email address used to send the request, and we may need to verify a user’s identity before implementing a request. We endeavor to comply with every request as soon as is reasonably practicable. Right to Object to Use of Personal DataYou have the right, in certain circumstances, to object to RTP processing your personal information. If you have questions about this right, please email us at info@researchtopractice.com. To Opt-Out of Marketing MessagesIf you no longer want to receive communications from RTP, you can elect to opt out of all communications or only selected methods. There are various ways to opt out:
Opting out does not mean that you will no longer receive service-related messages or other communications from RTP regarding transactions you undertake with us. You may continue to receive those (unless we have indicated otherwise). If you do not wish to receive those communications, or you subsequently change your mind, email info@researchtopractice.com How to Lodge a ComplaintIf you want to contact us about any of your rights or about how we use your information, contact our Customer Services team or email us at info@researchtopractice.com. We’ll do our best to resolve the issue, but if you’re still unsatisfied, contact the Information Commissioner’s Office. Their website www.ico.org.uk has details on how to contact them. Acceptable Use PracticesRTP also complies with the following acceptable use guidelines: Right to ErasureRTP strives to process and retain your data for only as long as we need to. In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we erase personal data of yours that we hold. If you feel that we are retaining your data longer than we need, please contact us via the above contact information. Please note we are required by some accrediting organizations to store personal information for a given period of time. Protection of InformationIn this section of the Privacy Policy we discuss the security measures RTP takes to protect information we have collected from Site users. SecurityRTP uses reasonable organizational, technical and administrative measures to help protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. However, no data transmission over the Internet or data storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. Communications over the internet (such as e-mails) are not secure unless they have been encrypted. Your communications may pass through servers located in one or more countries before being delivered, as this is the nature of the Internet. We cannot accept responsibility for any unauthorized access or loss of personal information that is beyond our control. Site users should exercise caution in sending RTP any information they consider confidential. It is the responsibility of each user to secure copies of passwords and related access codes for our online resources. Data Integrity and RetentionRTP will retain PII about users for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or our data retention policies unless a longer retention period is required by law. RTP has implemented industry-standard technology and security policies, rules and other measures to protect the personal data that we have under our control from unauthorized access, improper use, alteration, unlawful or accidental destruction and accidental loss. We also protect user information by requiring that all RTP employees and others who have access to or are associated with the processing of user data respect user confidentiality. Access to data and technology relating to user information is password-protected and limited to authorized personnel. RTP uses security methods to determine the identity of its registered users so that appropriate rights and restrictions can be enforced for that user. Reliable verification of user identity is called authentication. RTP uses both passwords and usernames to authenticate users. Users are responsible for maintaining their own passwords and usernames. Third-Party SitesThe Site may contain links to third-party websites, such as the websites (scientific journals, publications, etc) that are referenced in our CME/CNE activities for further educational research. These linked sites are not under RTP’s control and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or the contents of any such linked site or any link contained in any linked site. If a user provides any PII through any such third-party website, that transaction will occur on the third-party’s website (not this Site) and the PII provided will be collected by, and controlled by the privacy policy of, that third party. We recommend that users become familiar with the privacy policies and practices of any such third parties, which are not governed by this Privacy Policy. Collection of PII by Others Through Our SiteWe do not allow others to collect the PII of visitors to our Site by tracking the usage of the Site or other websites. Use of the Site by MinorsThis Site may not be used by minors and we do not knowingly collect PII from any individuals younger than age 18. If you are younger than age 18, please do not submit any PII to us, and if you have done so, including by erroneously registering on the Site, please inform us immediately by sending us an email at info@researchtopractice.com. Storage of InformationPII that users provide through RTP websites is stored on our database servers at RTP data centers or hosted by third-party technology providers who have entered into agreements with us that require them to observe our Privacy Policy. RTP maintains a firewall to prevent individuals from accessing Site information without authorization. Data centers are physically secure and protected from unauthorized access by unauthorized persons. Physical access to the servers requires individual authorization and authentication. Information in our data centers is backed up routinely in order to aid in the recovery of information in the event of accidental damage of information or a natural disaster. The backup media are stored in a physically secure storage facility. Correction of InformationIf a user believes that registration information collected by RTP websites is in error, that user may edit his or her personal profile at any time. A user can directly edit the user profile on our websites. Requesting deletion of a record may result in the removal of that information from the registry, but RTP may keep certain demographic information about users for product improvement purposes. RTP EmployeesRTP employees are required to sign a confidentiality agreement. All employees and contractors must abide by our Privacy Policy, and those who violate that policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of their employment and legal action. International usersRTP and the Site are based in the United States and, regardless of where you access the Site, the information collected as part of that use will be transferred to and maintained on servers located in the United States. Any information we obtain about you will be stored in accordance with U.S. privacy laws, regulations, and standards, which may not be equivalent to the laws in your country of residence. By using the Site, you consent to this collection, transfer, storage, and processing of information to and in the United States in accordance with the foregoing. If you are an International User, the GDPR (and related International regulations) requires RTP to inform you of its use of automated decision-making tools. RTP uses various tools, such as Google Analytics® to track your online activities for market research purposes only. Privacy Questions or ConcernsFor privacy questions or concerns about the ResearchToPractice.com websites, please contact info@researchtopractice.com. These privacy policies were last updated October 2024. |